Phosphoproteomic analysis of primary metabolic pathways in Eucalyptus grandis vascular tissues under environmental and cropping system variation

• Grant number: 25/23930-0
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships abroad - Research Internship - Post-doctor
• Start date: March 16, 2026
• End date: September 15, 2026
• Field of knowledge: Agronomical Sciences - Forestry Resources and Forestry Engineering - Forestry
• Principal Investigator: Carlos Alberto Labate
• Grantee: Felipe Alexsander Rodrigues da Silva
• Supervisor: Iris Finkemeier
• Host Institution: Escola Superior de Agricultura Luiz de Queiroz (ESALQ). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). Piracicaba , SP, Brazil
• Institution abroad: Universität Münster, Germany
• Associated to the scholarship: 24/18615-6 - Multiomics data integration and analyses of photosynthetic methabolism and CH4 from cambial zone in seedlings and trees of eucalyptus, BP.PD

Abstract

Eucalyptus is one of the most cultivated hardwood species worldwide due to its rapidgrowth, wood quality, and industrial relevance. Despite its significance, theunderlying mechanisms that support high growth rates remain incompletelyresolved. Primary metabolism in trees is strongly influenced by environmentalvariables such as light, temperature, and water supply, and vascular tissues responddifferently to seasonal variation in terms of energy demand. Corticularphotosynthesis is increasingly recognized as a relevant contributor to stem carbonbalance and oxygen supply, potentially reducing local hypoxia and sustainingrespiratory activity. This mechanism may interact with fermentative metabolism,which is typically activated when oxygen is limited, thereby influencing the efficiencyof xylogenesis. Despite progress in genomic and transcriptomic studies, little isknown about how post-translational modifications regulate these processes underfield conditions. Phosphoproteomics has been successfully applied to identifymetabolic regulators and signaling pathways in several plant systems, but its role inwood formation of Eucalyptus remains largely unexplored. Here, we propose toinvestigate protein phosphorylation dynamics in bark and sapwood tissues acrossseasons and cropping systems. Using state of the arts proteomics and bioinformaticspipelines, we aim to identify phosphoproteins and pathways involved inphotosynthesis, glycolysis, fermentation, and respiration. We will integratephosphoproteomic results with related proteomic and metabolomic datasets toconstruct a comprehensive view of metabolic regulation during wood formation. Thisstudy will provide novel insights into how corticular photosynthesis and oxygenavailability shape energy metabolism, uncovering regulatory nodes that supportefficient growth and wood production in Eucalyptus.